Multiple Telescope Telescope (MTT)
photo of MTT taken by Reed Riddle
The HLCO Multiple Telescope Telescope (or MTT), is a one-meter (40-inch)
effective aperture telescope for astronomical spectroscopy - and the largest
astronomical telescope in the southeast. Using nine 0.33m (13.1-inch) mirrors,
each sending light to a spectrograph by a hair-thin fiber optic, this
instrument was built for only 15% the cost of a traditionally-designed imaging
telescope. Large telescopes typically do spectroscopy during 60% of their
observing time: the MTT design demonstrates a remarkably low-cost approach to
meeting this need through innovative design.
Project Astronomers:
William G. Bagnuolo , Principal
Investigator
Reed L. Riddle , Co-Investigator, Engineer
Donald J. Barry , Co-Investigator,
Engineer
Douglas R. Gies , Co-Investigator
The primary scientific mission of the MTT is high signal-to-noise
stellar spectroscopy at high resolution of bright objects. The
principal projects underway include:
Spectral tomography of binary hot-star systems
Individual stellar spectra are reconstructed from full-phase spectra
taken of the binary star system using a locally-developed tomographic
analysis algorithm. Stellar parameters are refined from features of
the reconstructed individual spectra. Above, the components of
Plaskett's star are shown after tomographic separation, comparedto the individual stars of similar type 9 Sge and Lambda Cep.
Be star variability and non-radial pulsations
Rapid line-profile variations are monitored as a signature of non-radial
pulsation phenomena taking place in the atmosphere of these
rapidly-rotating objects. Attempts are underway to improve
understanding of the mechanisms which give rise to this behavior.
Above, variations are detected moving from blue to red in the
He I 6678 line of BK Camelopardalis.
Radial velocity studies of sharp-lined stars
As a complement to the studies of close visual binaries by
the GSU Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA),
a radial velocity program has been initiated to promote single-lined
spectroscopic binaries to double-lined status, and to improve the quality
of spectroscopic orbits by making velocity measurements with the
highest signal-to-noise spectra. Above, three components are
detected in the spectrum of 55 UMa, and a velocity curve for the
primary as derived from a series of spectra is plotted.
All spectra above were recorded with the MTT during its inaugural
six months of operation.
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